Seized children's 'slime kits' posed 'serious risk'

The kits, containing 18 tubs of colourful "slime" and bags of "toppings", will be destroyed

Trading standards officers have seized hundreds of children's "slime kits" containing illegal levels of harmful chemicals.

An import surveillance team from Suffolk Trading Standards intercepted 574 kits - consisting of 18 tubs of coloured "slimes" and bags of "toppings" - at the Port of Felixstowe.

They were found to contain phthalates - a substance that can be added to plastics to increase their flexibility - at levels that exceeded the legal limit.

"The risk it can cause to children is it can cause cancer and it can cause [harm to} reproductive systems as well. It's an awful awful thing to have in the product," said trading standards spokesperson Sasha Watson.

'Reputable retailer'

"If they've been touching it a lot, they can be getting it into their skin," she added.

Ms Watson said baby products with the same chemical have also been stopped.

The slime kits, from China, were due to be delivered to a warehouse in Coventry and, according to trading standards, were due to be sold online.

"The listings have been removed and the goods will be destroyed," said a trading standards statement.

Regulations prohibit the supply of a toy or childcare article containing phthalates in a concentration greater than 0.1% by mass of the plasticised material. Tests found the "toppings" contained 4.6%.

Trading standards officers urged parents to buy from a "reputable retailer".

"If buying on an online marketplace such as Amazon or eBay, make sure you check the details of the seller and that they have a UK address.

"Check the reviews for the product to see what others have said, and remember, if the price seems too good to be true, it probably is," a statement said.